Egypt Postpones Trial of ‘Hasm’, ‘Liwa Al-Thawra’ Terror Suspects

A police vehicle patrols Cairo, Egypt September 21, 2019. (Reuters)
A police vehicle patrols Cairo, Egypt September 21, 2019. (Reuters)
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Egypt Postpones Trial of ‘Hasm’, ‘Liwa Al-Thawra’ Terror Suspects

A police vehicle patrols Cairo, Egypt September 21, 2019. (Reuters)
A police vehicle patrols Cairo, Egypt September 21, 2019. (Reuters)

A Cairo Military Court postponed Sunday the trial of 271 terrorist suspects to Monday.

The Public Prosecutor had ordered the defendants to be referred to the military judiciary after they were charged with “assuming command of and joining the Muslim Brotherhood’s terrorist Liwa al-Thawra and Harakat Sawa'd Misr (HASM) groups.”

They are also accused of committing 12 terrorist operations against police officers, as well as booby-trapping cars and monitoring public and economic installations and public figures in order to later commit hostile acts against them.

According to the probe, the defendants supplied the two groups with money, explosives, firearms, ammunition and other logistic support. They also committed several murders and attempted murders against officers and members of the police force in various provinces of the country.

Investigations also linked the case to leading Muslim Brotherhood members in Turkey.

“The fugitives abroad devised a terrorist plot to restructure the armed wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, in cooperation with leading fugitives inside the country, in order to commit hostile acts against judicial and police officials, the armed forces and prominent state figures and economic installations,” the probe found.

They were indicted for assassinating a police captain, involvement in an ambush in Nasr City, which left several police members dead, attacking a police vehicle on the Fayoum highway and plotting to target Coptic places of worship.



US Sends Beirut ‘Warning’ and ‘Incentive’ Over Hezbollah Arms

US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
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US Sends Beirut ‘Warning’ and ‘Incentive’ Over Hezbollah Arms

US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)

US special envoy Tom Barrack delivered a dual message of “incentive” and “warning” to the Lebanese capital this week, urging swift action on the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons.

“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical name for the Syria region.

The remarks sparked alarm within Lebanon’s political establishment, with some interpreting the comments as a blunt warning of “existential danger.”

Government sources told Asharq al-Awsat that Barrack, who also serves as Washington’s ambassador to Türkiye and was previously tasked with Syria policy, appears to be approaching the Lebanon and Syria files through a unified lens.

“Barrack believes that Lebanon should follow the same diplomatic path as Syria,” one official said, referring to Damascus' recent re-engagement with regional and international actors. “But he also understands Lebanon’s complex political terrain.”

Barrack’s comments about Lebanon potentially “returning to Bilad Al Sham” provoked criticism across the political spectrum, prompting him to clarify his position in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“My comments yesterday praised Syria’s impressive strides, not a threat to Lebanon,” wrote Barrack.

“I observed the reality that Syria is moving at light speed to seize the historic opportunity presented by President Donald Trump lifting of sanctions: investment from Türkiye and the Gulf, diplomatic outreach to neighboring countries, and a clear vision for the future,” he added.

He said Syria’s leadership is “seeking coexistence and shared prosperity with Lebanon based on sovereign equality,” and stressed that the United States supports a bilateral relationship that promotes “peace, prosperity, and mutual respect” between the two nations.

“I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want co-existence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon, and the United States is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbors enjoying peace and prosperity,” said Barrack.

Barrack, in the context of disarming Hezbollah, had stated that a successful approach requires a combination of "carrots and sticks". This means using both positive incentives (carrots) and negative consequences (sticks) to achieve the desired outcome.

Barrack’s recent warning to Lebanon reflects the “stick” Washington is wielding, while his unprecedented acknowledgment of Hezbollah’s dual structure signals the “carrot” being offered.

“This is the first time a US official publicly distinguishes between Hezbollah’s political and military wings,” one source told Asharq al-Awsat.

“It’s a message of inducement aimed directly at Hezbollah, despite the fact that Washington has long treated both branches as inseparable and placed them under the same sanctions regime,” they explained.

In remarks to the press, Barrack reiterated the US designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, but added nuance rarely heard from senior American officials.